There are plenty of dog owners which decide to spay or neuter their pets.
Some because they are not planning on having any puppies, some because it makes their life easier. It seems that a spayed Samoyed, for example, will not change their coat twice a year, but only once. For a Samoyed owner this is a blessing!
When to Spay Your Dog:
If you do not plan for your dogs to have babies and are afraid that if she would, you will have to leave them on the streets, as you cannot afford to raise them all, then go for spaying. There are so many dogs in shelters that end up being euthanized because their owners could not deal with them at the right time.
Aside from the idea that you are saving some puppies from being killed there are other benefits of spaying. Just think about how difficult is to deal with your furry friend when she?s in heat. And when we?re talking about females, things are even messier, literally. She spends a lot of time licking her private parts, she leaves stains all over the house, she will encourage other dogs to mount her, meaning that you need to be very vigilant as other dogs are far more attracted to her than usual. Spaying her will take that pressure off your hands and also will make her feel better and get past those difficult periods.
You can spay your dog as soon as she is eight weeks old. The recommended age would be between six and nine months old, though, so you will not affect her growth.
You might have heard that it is better for a female to be left to have her first litter and then be spayed. Well, it is not actually true. If you spay her before her first heat it will be much easier for her to deal with the surgery. Think about the fact that you will have a handful of puppies in your home if you allow her to breed, which will make a complete mess. Then, you will need to find good homes for all of them. Once you do, you will have no more power on what the new owners will do with the dog. They might allow him to breed as well, and there will be other puppies. This continuous flow will lead to an overpopulation of the planet with dogs and we do not want that.
If you are worrying about the costs of such a surgery, you should do a little research. There are plenty of clinics that offer great discounts for spaying or neutering, wanting to help dog owners with little financial possibilities to keep their dogs healthy and happy.
If your dog becoming obese after neutering/spaying is one of your concerns, that is also a myth. A busted myth. As people get fat when they eat crazy things and don?t do any exercise, the same happens to dogs. As long as you feed them the proper food for their age and size, in a normal portion, and exercise him a lot, your dog will be just fine.
When to Neuter Your Dog:
There comes a time when every dog owner should consider taking care of his dog?s reproductive system, meaning that unpleasant intervention called neutering.
Neutering consists of a simple surgery that will prevent your dog from making puppies ever again.
It is not an act of cruelty or a way of slaughtering your beloved four-legged friend. It might be the best way to control reproduction when you simply do not want your dog to parent puppies or perhaps due to a health issue.
Apart from controlling reproduction, neutering also:
? Prevents your dog from developing a variety health issue
? Calms down the animal by reducing the amount of testosterone in the system
? Highly eliminates aggression
? Reduces the risks of enlarged prostate
? Territorial marking will no longer be a problem
When it comes to neutering, you also need to know a few important aspects, such as the best time to have the neutering procedure done.
? Any male dog can be neutered after only eight weeks of life. However, most veterinarians recommend this procedure after at least 6 months of age. The reason is because it takes about half a year for the dogs to reach sexual maturity and during this time testosterone helps healthy bone growth.
? Another factor that determines the best age to neuter a dog is the breed and also the health condition of your dog, in which case talking to your veterinarian should be a must.
? For certain breeds, it is recommended to have this procedure done before they reach six months, just to avoid any behavioral problems.
? Simply getting your dog from a professional breeder you will find out the exact age of the puppy and also the best time to neuter him
? For larger breeds, the stage of maturity is reached later on so you might want to consider waiting about 8 to 9 months before going for a neutering procedure.
? When it comes to female dogs, specialists recommend to have them spayed only after giving the first birth or after passing the first season. This is due to the fact that they need to benefit from that period when they produce estrogen and other hormones that will be useful for their entire life. Spaying them too soon might lead to certain health problems such as urinary incontinence.
Considering all of the above it is more than obvious that you should be fully aware of all the advantages and disadvantages of having your dog neutered. Above all, it is also extremely important to be informed regarding the recommended neutering periods for each breed, as well as take into account your dog?s health condition.
Talking to a veterinarian or a professional breeder could help you a lot in deciding the best time to have your dog neutered. This way, you will be avoiding many health complications your furry companion might otherwise face.
The main point in all this discussion is making your dog?s health primary and only then thinking about the issue of reproduction as well as various behavioral problems.
